Faults:

Right after purchase the cassette player made a thumping noise in the speakers when a tape was playing. The dealership fixed it right away and it never happened again.

A couple of check engine codes. Can’t remember the reasons.

The computer was replaced.

Water pump right before trade in at 165000 miles.

Yes, tune ups, belts/hoses, brakes and so on.

I consider those things as maintenance that sooner or later any car will need.

General Comments:

As much as I liked the prior G body Regals, these W bodies were pretty good. This car on review was super reliable. This one had the 3800 L27 V6 which was probably the best version of this engine; the series II that followed wasn’t as good, but still rock solid.

Very easy to work on for a FWD car. Performed all maintenance and repairs myself.

This car was a coupe and like all the other W body cars were sort of bland mobiles. Had the dealership dress the car up with the “Presidential“ package with a quarter canvas top and opera lights, giving the car a nice formal look.

The interior was nice with cloth seats and room for six (squeezing).

The dashboard was kind of boring with only a digital speedo and warning lights, no optional gauges. The factory radio was an oddball size, making it impossible to be replaced with a custom aftermarket if you wanted to.

The ride was your average soft Buick traditional.

To sum it up; for a platform that didn’t make GM a lot of money in the many years it was manufactured, this was an excellent car and probably one of our best in the reliability category.

Faults:

First thing that broke (within the first 6 months) was flimsy plastic cup holder that flipped down out of the center console. A very poor design. Otherwise, the interior is in mint condition!

Was rear-ended in '98; had to replace the trunk, quarter panels & gas tank. As a result the gas gauge does not work properly.

ECM replaced at 70,000 miles.

Had to replace the window motor in the driver's door at 80,000 miles.

Cam sensor interrupter magnet dislodged at 90,000 miles, but the car still runs fine.

Factory air conditioner recharged at 90,000 miles.

Alternator and serpentine belt replaced at 50,000 miles.

A couple of negatives (for me) are no airbags and no pass-through opening from the trunk to the back seat as in similar models.

General Comments:

I bought this car new from dealer in '91. Was a demo with 112 miles on the odometer. This Regal has been outstanding and has been my daily driver for over 25 years. And yes it HAS been a dream having NO CAR PAYMENT for 20+ years! Saved a lot of interest.

It is still very comfortable and (knock wood) has not needed any major repairs to the engine or transmission and still runs great. The 3800 V6 engine still has plenty of power and pick-up upon acceleration for passing. With front wheel drive, it gets around fine and handles great in the Midwest winter/snow and ice.

It has been driven across the U.S. from east to west twice and was a comfortable ride. With a tow package and transmission cooler installed, this Regal had no problem at all pulling a 22' boat through the mountains and across several states.

Overall, I truly can't complain about this car. With routine maintenance, it has performed well and lasted better than expected. It has just now gone over 100k miles, and I expect it would be great for another 200-300k+ if properly maintained. The exterior paint on top is just now starting to fade, but that's my fault as it is currently not garaged. The plush (cloth) interior has held up extremely well and shows hardly any wear, and all of the instruments, handles, buttons, locks, belts, etc., still function properly. It really makes a difference if you take care of your vehicle and keep it clean and well maintained.

Honestly I would keep this Regal "until the wheels fall off," but I am currently planning to replace it with a newer subcompact Buick (Encore), only because I need more cargo space. Fingers crossed, the new Buick will be good for the next 25+ years. :-)